T.I. – “F**k A Mixtape” (Mixtape Review)
Irony: being one of the first people to make mixtapes popular, and then making a mixtape saying (cuss) a mixtape. The mind of Clifford Harris Jr., ladies and gentlemen.
This is the first official full-length project from T.I. since being released from being jailed for having an arsenal of choppers outside Wal-Greens….or something like that.
Ironically, the person that helped to establish the mixtape game releases a mixtape defiantly stating that he doesn’t need a mixtape to prove he’s nice on the microphone. Being one of the prime representatives of the South when it comes to hip-hop and mainstream appeal (without completely selling out), most of us are just glad to see him back to making music again. “F**k A Mixtape (The Mixtape)” is sure to get a nice amount of play until “King Uncaged” is released.
The Good:
It’s just good to finally get some new music from T.I., honestly. The mixtape features everything we’ve come to expect from him, from his wordplay to his flow to his aggressiveness on tracks. It’s all still here as if he never left. Although this is a traditional mixtape, and not a mixtape-album like I’d prefer, the mixtape is FULL of new, solid songs that can easily achieve iPod status.
The production value on this mixtape is as high as it can get. From the likes of Timbaland (he still does hip-hop? What?), Smash Factory, Track Slayers (responsible for T.I.’s single “I’m Back”), No I.D. (yes, No I.D.) and more, the starts came out heavy to motor T.I.’s project.
And the interludes from Jamie Foxx, Lil Duval, and Kevin Hart (aka Chocolate Drop…pause) are hilarious. They don’t take away from the mixtape at all, unlike a lot of interludes on other mixtapes that are just awkward.
The Bad:
This is more along the lines of the street music that TIP used to make as opposed to the mainstream stuff he’s released before “I’m Back.” For some people (like me) this isn’t a big deal, but for the casual T.I. fan, that might rub you the wrong way, so just be prepared for that. I’ll put it this way; if your favorite song from T.I. is “Whatever You Like”…skip this mixtape. It’s not for you.
Although the interludes are funny, and on the first play-through everything flows, it gets to a point sometimes where T.I. himself talks too much about his reasoning for doing the mixtape. After the fourth time, we get the fact that he doesn’t NEED to release free music, he’s just doing it out of the love for rapping. We get it. Whenever he starts interrupting songs to say that over and over again, it hinders the flow of the music.
Also, some of the songs on the mixtape don’t sound completely finished… Maybe that’s just my ear though.
Bottom Line:
The music was definitely worth the wait to see how T.I. would come back out, and it seems like he’s more aggressive than ever. Hopefully this mindstate will carry over into his album “King Uncaged”… Check this one out if you miss TIP as opposed to T.I. and if you want a GOOD LAUGH at the interludes from the guest comedians.
Eljay’s Favorites:
- “Here We Go Again” (produced by Timbaland)
- “Welcome Back To The Trap” (produced by Smash Factory)
- “B***h Who” feat. MacBoney
- The Interludes with Jamie Foxx, Lil Duval, and Kevin Hart
(Download DJ Drama and T.I.’s “F**k A Mixtape here, courtesy of 2DopeBoyz.com)
